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The decision to adopt a child is among the most exciting and fulfilling decisions you can make in a lifetime. Although the adoption process may appear daunting, Joseph, Hollander & Craft’s Overland Park adoption lawyers are well versed in adoption law and procedure and will seamlessly guide you through the legal process.

Overland Park Adoption Lawyers

Our Overland Park adoption attorneys are pleased to assist you in step-parent adoption, kinship adoption, and related matters, including guardianship of minor children.

• Step-Parent Adoption: Families may want to pursue step-parent adoption to give legal recognition to an emotional connection, to allow the step-parent to have decision-making power in matters of medical care, etc., or to establish inheritance rights or access to other financial benefits. Whatever the reason, JHC’s Overland Park step-parent adoption attorneys are ready to help.
• Family Relative or Kinship Adoption: JHC’s Overland Park adoption attorneys also assist other family members such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles, who are seeking to adopt their minor family members.
• Minor Guardianships: In some cases, guardianship may be a preferable or necessary alternative to adoption. Contact JHC’s Overland Park family law attorneys can discuss your situation and determine which option is best for you and the child you love.

Diverse Representation Alongside Our Overland Park Adoption Lawyers

JHC represents and provides legal adoption services to a diverse range of clients including, LGBTQIA+ couples, heterosexual couples, and single individuals seeking adoption. Our child adoption lawyers are dedicated to serving clients from all walks of life.

Let JHC’s Overland Park adoption attorneys help you start the adoption process and begin this next step of your life. Call us today.

FAQs

Do I need a lawyer for a Kansas adoption?

While Kansas adoption law does not require that you be represented by a lawyer, having one can make the process much easier. Successfully petitioning for adoption requires familiarity with the requirements of the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act as well as local court rules and procedures. Adoptions are accomplished through legal cases filed in the district court, and they require at least one court hearing to complete. JHC’s adoption attorneys know how to make this process easier on you. Give us a call to discuss how we can help.

What does it mean to become a legal guardian to a minor child?

Through the guardianship process available under Kansas law, a qualified adult may be appointed to care for a minor in need. Many times, this role is fulfilled by a family member of the minor child, but guardians do not have to be related to their wards. Guardianship is one means of facilitating oversight of a person’s physical needs, property, and/or finances. Call JHC’s guardianship lawyers to discuss whether guardianship is the right path for your situation.

How do guardianships differ from adoption?

Both guardianship and adoption allow for someone other than a biological parent to care for a child in a formal, legally recognized way. But guardianships do not involve the termination of parental rights like adoptions do. With a guardianship, parents retain their legal rights—and legal obligations—to the child. Thus, while a biological parent may have visitation rights and child support obligations during a guardianship, those rights and obligations are terminated with an adoption. JHC’s family law attorneys can talk you through the effects of and requirements for adoption and guardianship and help you determine what is best for your family.

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